Samsung has shared its plans and insights for AI at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and unveiled AI-enabled visual display products, digital appliances and the upgraded Ballie rolling AI robot.
But Samsung was very quick to point out – they’re not coming late to the party with AI – they’ve already invested more than a decade of time and energy into the technology.
Samsung says AI will enable connected technologies to improve people’s daily lives but will stay in the background.
“With the emergence of artificial intelligence, smarter, better experiences will redefine how we live,” Jong-Hee (JH) Han, Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of Samsung’s Device eXperience (DX) Division said.
“Samsung’s broad portfolio of powerful devices, along with the pursuit of open collaboration, will help bring AI and hyper-connectivity to all.”
Samsung re-introduced Ballie a rolling robot that was first introduced in 2020.
Today Ballie has evolved into an AI companion that can interact with other smart devices and offer customised tasks and services.
Ballie is also equipped with a short throw and long throw projector to display content as well.
Samsung’s new 2024 Neo QLED TVs are powered by a new NQ8 AI Gen 3 processor to make upscaling to 8K quality even better and faster.
But AI isn’t just restricted to TVs. Samsung is deploying AI into its appliances as well starting with the Bespoke 4-Foor Flex refrigerator with AI Family Hub.
This refrigerator has a 32-inch screen but also includes the new AI Vision Inside which uses internal cameras to recognise up to 33 different food items as you’re putting them in or taking them out of the fridge.
And with this information, the refrigerator can suggest recipes based on the ingredients inside.
The Samsung Bespoke AI Laundry Combo is an all in one washer and dryer featuring the AI Hub – a 7-inch display that is the control centre for managing your laundry.
It can also remember users habits via machine learning and suggest cycles that will save you time, water and energy.
Samsung’s new bespoke Jet Bot Combo also employs AI to offer an effective cleaning experience thanks to AI object recognition which can distinguish even more objects as well as detecting stains and spaces.
This also means the robot vacuum can recognise the type of floor it encounters and the length of carpet and adjust its settings to match.
SmartThings is at the centre of Samsung’s connected home vision.
Spatial AI will now help connected devices recognise the living space and routines of the user to come up with a more personalised home management experience.
SmartThings uses LIDAR on connected devices like robot vacuum cleaners and create digital floor plans to easily check the status and location of all your devices.
In March, SmartThings will roll out the upgraded 3D map view for a more detailed experience on Samsung smartphones and TV’s.
And if you want to add more family members and friends to your SmartThings ecosystem, they simply have to scan a QR code so that they can have their own routines recognised.
On the sustainability side, Samsung is also ramping up its efforts and partnering with other companies to help customers live more responsibly.
A new feature called SmartThings AI energy mode utilises AI to help track your energy usage and create ways to help you save and optimise your power.
Part of the SmartThings energy strategy is partnering with Tesla to connect products like Powerwall home batteries and electric vehicles along with solar inverters and wall connector EV charging solutions.
This collaboration will be able to help customers in numerous ways and help drive more responsible energy usage and extend the usage time of any backup energy stored in the Tesla powerwalls.
Samsung is also bringing the home and the car closer together with a few new home-to-car capabilities.
Samsung has also partnered with Hyundai Motor group with both parties having access to home to car and car to home services thanks to the smart things connectivity.
“Using Hyundai Motor Group’s software-defined vehicle, SmartThings will now work with Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis vehicles through the app,” Haeyoung Kwon, Head of Infotainment Development Center and SDV Execution Sub-Division at Hyundai Motor Group
said.
“All of us at Hyundai Motor Group appreciate our partnership with Samsung, and we’re excited about the new features we’re bringing to your vehicles through smarter connectivity.”
Using SmartThings, users will be able to use their voice to remotely perform functions in their car including heating it up in advance or opening and closing windows.
The SmartThings connectivity can also work the other way with users able to manage and control home functions from their car.
Samsung has deepened its longstanding partnership with Harman to transform the way users experience driving.
“Samsung’s leadership in consumer technology — together with HARMAN’s automotive expertise — has opened the door to game-changing experiences like HARMAN Ready Care, Ready Vision and Ready Display,” Michelle Gattuso, Vice President of Product Management at HARMAN said.
“But now, the work we do with Samsung is getting even more integrated. Samsung and HARMAN are working in lockstep to bring even more impactful experiences to the entire in-cabin ecosystem.”
* Stephen Fenech travelled to Las Vegas for CES with support from Samsung, LG and Hisense
